Wetherspoon has happy Xmas January 19, 2011 PUB operator JD Wetherspoon said yesterday sales grew in recent weeks despite the snow but warned profit margins were coming under pressure from the increasing cost of food, drink and other bills. Wetherspoon, which operates nearly 800 outlets, said like-for-like sales increased three per cent in the 12 weeks to 16 January, up from 1.6 [...]
Goldman earnings prompt FTSE sell-off January 19, 2011 A surprisingly sharp sell-off on the FTSE this afternoon pushed the index below the 6,000 mark, to close down 79.73 points or 1.32 per cent, at 5,976.70. A bigger than expected fall in earnings at leading US investment bank Goldman Sachs sparked a rout among investors across all sectors. Earlier in the day, more bad [...]
Wetherspoon sales growth accelerates January 19, 2011 JD Wetherspoon has reported accelerating sales growth in the second quarter of its fiscal year and said it was confident of a reasonable performance in 2011. The pub operator, which has nearly 800 premises across Britain, said sales at pubs open more than a year rose by three per cent in the 12 weeks to [...]
THE WEEK AHEAD January 16, 2011 COMPANY NEWS ● Several large American technology companies will report their results after UK trading hours on Tuesday, including Apple, IBM and Western Digital. ● As will remaining British retailers, including the fashion group Burberry and Carphone Warehouse. ● The budget pub chain JD Wetherspoon will release a trading update on Wednesday, as will bookmaker William [...]
THE TIPSTER January 16, 2011 DISCOUNT pub group JD Wetherspoon has a trading update due out on Wednesday that should offer some insight as to the impact bad weather had on sales in the pre-Christmas period. A degree of this has presumably been priced in already although broker sentiment does seem to be building against the stock. IG Index is [...]
What the other papers say this morning January 9, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES GOLDMAN TEAM RAISES MONEY FOR NEW FUND The last big proprietary trading team at Goldman Sachs has begun raising money to start a new hedge fund independent of the bank, for launch in the second quarter of this year. The team – led by two senior members of Goldman Sachs’ Principal Strategies desk, [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS November 8, 2010 JD WETHERSPOON UBS rates the pub chain a “buy” but has reduced its target price to 500p from 525p. The broker points to a one-off increase in spending on staff and repairs that are depressing margins, but adds that earlier opening hours will increase group margins above the firm’s historic 10 per cent trend as [...]
Wetherspoon gives upbeat view for new year as investments pay off November 4, 2010 JD Wetherspoon said it will make a profit this year, thanks to strong sales and investments in new and existing pubs. The pub chain, which has almost 800 pubs in Britain, reported a rise in profit before tax of 7.3 per cent to £71m, with total sales of nearly £1bn. Wetherspoon is making significant investment [...]
Barracuda looks to Costa to fuel sales November 1, 2010 BARRACUDA is to launch Costa coffee at its pub estate – and will now open at 9am for breakfast. Costa coffee is expected to be available in 100 of its 217 pubs by Christmas with the rest launching in 2011. Barracuda, which also has the Smith & Jones brand, is pursuing a more food-focused policy [...]
Wetherspoon shares hit as execs leave October 14, 2010 JD Wetherspoon yesterday surprised investors by announcing the departure of two of its top executives. Finance director Keith Down and chief operating officer Paul Harbottle are to leave the pubs group “in due course” said a statement, which offered no explanation for the sudden shake-up. Wetherspoon’s has weathered the economic downturn well, with Down considered [...]